Mileage:  68,938

State Forest Road 525 Sedona, Arizona

At an elevation of about 8,000 feet, it was 23 degrees when we got up this morning.  The cold was biting.  Thankfully the sunshine was warm and bright. 

We drove through Vermillion Cliffs National Monument.  In the valley below herds of buffalo used to roam, which you can well imagine as you pass by.  Tim said:  I don’t know what the rest of the road looks like, but it’s a pretty ride this morning.”

We had to take 89A east in order to get around that big hole in the ground (the Grand Canyon).  We crossed the Colorado River.  This is the same Colorado River that we have seen in the bottom of the Grand Canyon, in Canyonlands at the confluence of the Green River and the Colorado, at the Hoover Dam, in Moab on our bikes at the pedestrian bridge, and then in Yuma, reduced to a trickle.

Along the road…I truthfully didn’t take too many pictures today. I was completely content to just sit back and enjoy the ride.

We entered the Coconino National Forest.  The San Francisco Peaks were swathed in a bright yellow band of aspen trees.

We saw smoke in the distance near Flagstaff and we became concerned as we approached.  We learned that it was a prescribed burn and we were relieved…I’m sure lots of people were relieved.

The road, 89A, to Sedona is a twisted winding road.  Initially it was generous and wide with guardrails.  We passed through Oak Creek Canyon, and the road became narrower and more difficult as we got closer to Sedona.

Sedona does not look the same as it did 17 years ago…it is a booming little place!  We were not able to park to go to the Visitor Center and so we went right on through.  We found dispersed camping on State Forest Road 525. 

We took a walk this afternoon and spent time catching up with family and friends.

The moon is nearly full.

Mileage: 68,734

Jacob Lake Campground Kaibab National Forest Marble Canyon, Arizona

Good morning!

We are headed further south. We are trying to outrun the cold. Norht Rim and most of the campgrounds all close here on October 15th.

The temperature is supposed to be 20 degrees here tonight. But first, we wanted to take one more look at the Grand Canyon North Rim.

We stopped at this overlook to view the Vermillion Cliffs and the Staircase.

This is the best explanation I have see for the staircase…so I am posting it.

We camped in the Jacob Lake Campground in the Kaibab National Forest. We had wanted to stay in a full hookup campground tonight because of the cold…but the lady wouldn’t let us check in for another 3 hours…and we had places to go! So, we will just bundle up and run the generator!

Our ride to the Grand Canyon was through forest. The crayola color of the aspen trees was so pretty. Yellow-orange, yellow-green, orange-red…

There is evidence almost everywhere of fire at one time or another. Here you can just see the small aspens showing their colors.

Some trees had already lost all of their leaves.

We started at the North Rim Visitor Center. From here we hiked the Bright Angel Trail.

The hike was amazing and the views were spectacular.

The ranger at the Visitor Center recommended a 4WD Trail – Sublime Point Trail. 18 miles of unimproved dirt and gravel road the leads to the North Rim.

Dust and aspen leaves blowing in the wind!

We passed lots of rolling meadow where bison supposedly and evidently roam…but not today!

Aspen gold coins.

Our first view of the canyon from the trail. This was a campsite…what a gorgeous place to pitch a tent…when it is warmer of course!

Earlier this morning we thought we had smelled smoke. The ranger at the Visitor Center told us that there was a contained wildfire in the park. Some of the forest roads were closed as a result.

On our way to the point.

Sublime Point was…sublime!!! What a unique gift to be able to see this beautiful place.

Tim climbed on top of the Jeep to get a better vantage point. He said that he felt even with the rim and could see so much more.

We could see the billowing smoke from the fire.

We were driving so close to the rim.

The long 18 miles back to the paved road.

We saw a group of 4 people take the Sublime Trail on mountain bikes. The sand was so thick in spots and the trail so rough, that they sent one guy back to get the car. The other three kept riding and made it all the way to the point. They were looking forward to a ride back though!

We met two young men who did the trail on their motorcycles…it was really rough and dangerous for them but they were able to travel much more quickly than we could.

We did not do the 23 mile scenic loop that everyone else does but we really feel like we got to see the North Rim area. We also will not visit the South Rim on this trip. Although it is only about 8 miles as the crow flies to get across the Grand canyon, it is 203 miles from the North Rim entrance to the South Rim entrance!

I liked this quote today:

Mileage: 68,636

Kaibab Paiute RV Campground Fredonia, Arizona

We left Zion behind and dropped down into Arizona, having completed the “Big 5” in Utah. We were able to see Canyonlands, Arches, Capitol Reef, Bryce, and Zion. Southern Utah is a really special place and I am glad we got to go!

As we traveled south, the land was flat and scruffy. I had just thought to myself “there really isn’t much here” just as Tim said “I really like it here. So, I looked at it with fresh eyes; the vast open spaces, the golden grasses, the vivid blue sky.

We parked the RV at the Kaibab Paiute RV Campground. This campground is on tribal land. The property was clean and new and the rates for full hookups were ridiculously cheap. There was a tremendous view.

Our plan today was to visit the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. There are several overlooks that can be accessed only by 4WD high clearance vehicles. Going to the Grand Canyon the normal way on the normal road was NOT going to do! We wanted to see something that few other people get to see! We were excited. There is always a keen sense of anticipation as we go…kind of like the surprise in the bottom of the box of cracker jacks!

We turned from Highway 389 onto Antelope Valley Road.

We would much rather be on this isolated dirt and gravel road than on a shuttle bus and walking on a river path with 2,000 other people.

The view.

At the entrance to Tuweep, there was a ranger station with a little house. An older woman and her husband are manning the station as volunteers for a 3 month stretch extending into December. She was warm and welcoming, bright and knowledgeable. They are living off the grid. They have solar panels, propane, and a water catchment system with a cistern for collecting rainwater. In this very remote and isolated area, they have no TV, no cell service, and no internet. They travel into town every 10 days or so to stock supplies and to catch up on “normal life.” Their responsibilities are to monitor the comings and goings in the park, issue cautions re: difficult driving conditions and steep drop-offs, and to educate. Tim said he would take this post…he would have some convincing to do!

Views on the way to the overlook.

It was 61 miles on a really dusty road!

I have been to the Grand Canyon before. The first glimpse of it though, should always take your breath away!!

The Toroweap Overlook is 3,000 feet above the river. There is a sheer drop off. The canyon is at its narrowest here, only 1 mile across.

Lunch spot.

This was an extraordinary way to see the North Rim. No buses, no souvenir shops, just us and the Grand Canyon with the Colorado River roaring and surging far below.

Mileage: 68,636

Sheeps Bridge Road BLM Dispersed Camping Virgin, Utah

Thank you Cedar City Jeep for repairing the axle seals! We were on our way out of town at 10 am!

Interstate 15 is also a scenic byway.

All of the private campgrounds near Zion were completely booked. One woman I spoke with suggested Sheeps Bridge Road BLM – dispersed camping.

Another free and spectacular campsite!

With our picnic packed, we headed to the park.

Zion is gorgeous, with dramatic cliffs and tall canyon walls. This park is different than the other canyons we have seen. In this park, you are in the canyon instead of seeing it from above.

It was such a pretty day and the canyon walls were so far above us, we decided to stop and take the top off the Jeep.

Initially, we decided to drive Highway 9 through the park and through the tunnel. There is a tunnel 1.1 miles long that connects the east and west portions of the park. If we had come with the RV, we would have had to pay a fee to use the tunnel. Apparently, there were a lot of accidents with RVs in the tunnel. Now, rangers control traffic so that the flow is only going one way. This allows larger vehicles to pass through more safely. On our way to the tunnel, we passed Linda and Dominik on their bikes heading in the opposite direction!

There were lots of Model T Fords on the road in Zion today!

Lunch spot.

Checkerboard Mesa.

Enjoying the ride…

Zion National Park receives 6.4 million visitors a year. For this reason, the park has implemented a mandatory shuttle system. If you want to see the scenic drive, you park in the parking lot at the visitor center and you get on the free shuttle.

The shuttle is NOT a good way to see this park. Ideally, you would stop at each of the 9 overlooks and get out and walk or hike to see the sights. We started so late in the day, that we decided to ride to the end and do the Riverside Walk.

There were so so many people walking on the paved path…we found our way down to the river’s edge to walk…and there we were happy. There we could truly take the time to look in awe and wonder at the steep canyon walls, the Virgin River running through, the glorious colors, and the signs of nature. The Paiute Indians made this place their home. They called it “Straight Up Land.” The Virgin River doesn’t look like much but over millions of years, this river has carved through 7 layers of sedimentary rock or 2,000 feet of sandstone. The river carries 1,000,000 tons of sediment every year. Most of the washing occurs during flash floods in the monsoon season.

On our way out of the park, at stop number 8, there was a California condor perched on a ledge about halfway up the cliff. There are only 400 of these magnificent birds in the whole world. They are North America’s largest land bird. The condors have a nest in Zion National Park…and we got to see it!

It was dinner time by the time we took the shuttle back to the parking lot and then drove to Sheeps Bridge Road…home for the night.

Mileage:  68,590

Cedar City KOA Cedar City, Utah

I woke up at 2 am.  I peeked out the window and the stars looked so dazzling!  I wrapped myself in a blanket, put my slippers on and walked outside to appreciate the view.  I stayed out as long as I could…until I got shivery.

Today we took scenic byways to Cedar City. 

There were about a dozen pronghorns in the distant field.  I honestly wasn’t sure what I was taking pictures of, they were so far away.  When I sorted pictures this evening, our guess was confirmed.

Red Canyon tunnels…Tim said “Did you know these tunnels were here? NO, I didn’t but fortunately they were tall enough for us to easily pass through.  We are 12’8”…the tunnel was 13’2”.

We took a short walk at Red Canyon.

Gambel oak.

Pretty scenery.

We arrived in Cedar City this afternoon.  Our appointment with the Jeep dealer is at 8 am tomorrow.  The KOA campground we chose is right across the road.

We spent today catching up on ordinary things.  Tim also got to watch NASCAR and football.  Life is good 😊!

Day 2

State Forest Road 410 Cannonville, Utah

Sometime after midnight, the moon set.  The sky was so completely dark.  The stars were scattered like diamond dust across the heavens.  It was so lovely that I had a hard time going back to sleep.  I wanted to keep watching the sky.

This morning it was pretty cold in the RV.  I heard Tim get up but I elected to stay under the warm blankets.  It was 49 degrees inside!  Tim started the generator and the furnace.  When I woke up again at 8 it was nice and cozy!

With our breakfast and sandwiches packed, we were on our way to Bryce. 

17 years ago, we took the boys on a car trip out west.  Bryce was one of my favorites then and it is still one of the prettiest parks in my opinion.  This park has more than 29,000 hoodoos or “irregularly eroded rock spires.  These limestone pillars are intricately carved by the passage of time.  The spires appear ornate and delicate…fairy castle formations. 

They say that if it is very quiet, you can hear the clattering of stones among the hoodoos.  This is a dynamic, everchanging environment.  New hoodoos are being formed as other are dissolved and crumple.  The drive into the park is 18 miles.  The park rangers like to encourage visitors to use the park shuttles to see all the sights.  We wanted to go in our Jeep so that we could travel at our own pace.  The park was fairly crowded.  We were told to drive to the end and then visit each of the overlooks on our way back down.  The drive is along a plateau and Bryce Canyon is below on the eastern side. 

We cheated once and stopped at Swamp Creek Overlook.

Forest fire damage.

Rainbow Overlook is at the very end.  We were gathering our breakfast things when Linda approached on her bike.  She and Dominik had taken the Rainbow Bus Tour.  This tour allowed them to take their bikes.  They were going to explore the park also at their own pace.  I keep thinking that each time we see them, it might be the last time we run into one another…and then it is such a pleasant surprise to see them again! 

The pictures that follow, are taken along the park road.  From the roadway, you really cannot see anything.  You have to get out of the car and look.  We stopped at most of the overlooks and hiked to see the canyon.  Unfortunately, the pictures are only tiny pieces of the whole…come visit to see it for yourself!

We have always known that you should not feed wildlife.  We learned today that when chipmunks have access to human food, they take it and store it in their burrow along with the rest of their winter stockpile.  Human food rots and when the chipmunks try to eat it…it is no good.  It can sicken them or they can starve to death because the food that they were relying on to get them through the really cold months is not edible.

 On our way to Bryce Point, we saw a guy coming out of the woods with an overnight backpack.  We were the first car by and he had his thumb out.  Tim pulled over.   Till was from Berlin.  He loaded his stuff into the back of the Jeep. 

He is in the US on a business trip and decided to extend his stay to tour around.  Last night he hiked into Bryce canyon.  He spent the night at one of the campgrounds in the backcountry.  He needed a ride back to his rental car.  As we arrived at Bryce Point, Till said he was going to prepare himself a proper lunch and then take a car tour of the rest of the park.  How fun it is to meet new people and hear about their adventures!  As we hiked to Bryce Point, he hiked along the ridge.  I could see him in the distance as we hiked out.  It looked like he was doing yoga poses…

but in reality…he was fixing himself a proper lunch!!

Bryce Point.

Our favorite overlook…

We drove to BLM land and ate our lunch amid the pine trees…so quiet and peaceful after such a busy and crowded day!

We had chicken and green chile tamales and rice with black beans and corn for our dinner.  We enjoyed another campfire back in this peaceful place.

Mileage:  68,494

State Forest Road 410 Cannonville, Utah

It was a crisp fall morning.  We drove down Route 12, a scenic byway, also nicknamed “The Million Dollar Road.”  This is undisputedly one of the prettiest drives in the west. 

There is a lot to pay attention to:  deer, falling rocks, open range cattle, tight curves, and steep grades…as steep at 14%!

The drive begins in the Dixie National Forest.  Lots of tall pines with golden splashes of color as the aspens display their glory.

There are grand vistas at 9,600 feet of the Capitol Reef Fold and the mesas beyond.

We emerged from the forest and entered Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.  More spectacular views.

Are all my pictures starting to look the same?  I know I am taking a lot of pictures of rocks.  To us, each area has been distinctly different.  It is so beautiful that I feel compelled to take pictures.  Yesterday, I took 136.  I had the goal to limit myself today…it is rather impossible.

As we were driving down the road from Escalante to Bryce, we saw two cyclists pedaling hard along the narrow shoulder.  Linda and Dominik were also on their way to Bryce.  It was very windy!  We offered them a ride, but they refused…they wanted to cycle!  They are two tough people!  I am constantly amazed by their perseverance!

We were on our way to Bryce Canyon National Park.  We did not have reservations.  All of the bigger campgrounds and all of the state campgrounds were full.  I called Kodachrome Basin State Park and the ranger suggested that if we didn’t mind dry camping, there was a State Forest Road 410 just past the park where we could camp for free.  Look at this view.

We took a ride on a gravel road through BLM land this afternoon.

This evening, we packed our dinner and the grill and rode into Kodachrome Basin Park.  The park is small but the rock formations, monolithic spires and cliffs are gorgeous.  We drove to chimney rock and got some amazing pictures as the evening light began to change. 

We enjoyed a campfire as the sun set.  The campground across the way was very nice…but our remote spot cannot be beat!

Day 2

Thousand Lakes RV Park Torrey, Utah

Before we got to Utah, I had never heard of Capitol Reef National Park.  Once we got here, everyone said it was lovely.  It is on the way from Moab to Bryce and Zion and so we wanted to stop and check it out.  Capitol Reef is literally a giant wrinkle or fold in the earth.  280 million years ago the area was swamp and sea and rivers and desert.  10,000 feet of sedimentary rock was deposited over a very long period of time.  Then, 50-70 million years ago, along an ancient fault, the layers to the west lifted 7,000 feet above the layers to the east.  In lieu of splitting, the earth and layers folded over.  20,000 years ago, the earth heaved and lifted again.  1-6 million years ago, erosive forces carved the stone, creating the rock formations we saw today.  This is called the Waterpocket Fold.  Explorers saw the dome-like features and were reminded of the dome on the nation’s capital.  Other explorers noted that for about 100 miles the fold was fairly impassable just as an ocean reef caused difficulty for seafarers. 

When we spoke with the ranger at the visitor center yesterday, she told us that there were 3 options for driving through the park.  The first was the 8-mile scenic ride.   This ride is the paved road that most park visitors use. The second option was a 4WD road through Cathedral Valley to the north of the fold.  Cathedral Valley is similar to Monument Valley.  The third option was Notom-Burr Trail a paved/unpaved loop around the fold and through the Burr Pass.  We decided on option 3.  With the cooler packed with our breakfast and lunch we set out.  It was pretty chilly this morning and we could see places where there had been frost overnight. 

We stopped at a petroglyph site.  This art was left here by the Hopi Tribe Ancestral Clans who inhabited this area from AD 300 to AD 1300. 

This park has thriving orchards.  They are remnants of orchards planted by settlers. These orchards are preserved and maintained by the NPS. Right now, pears and apples are in season.  If you visit an orchard, you can eat whatever you want as long as you are in the orchard.  You can also pick your own fruit for $1.00 per pound!

We left Route 24 and turned onto Notom Road. 

For the first many miles, I was afraid that we had chosen the wrong path.  There was nothing really remarkable to see and we were miles from the fold and could only see it at a great distance. 

We took a dirt road and found a nice spot for our breakfast.

There was another dirt trail down the road a piece. 

The sign said Oak Creek Canyon.  We were treated to beautiful scenery as we approached the fold and then entered it and began to climb.  We took the trail until the dead-end.

The views…

When you see the fold up close you can see the chaos and the haphazard nature of the rock and the way it all fell together.  It’s really very impressive.  It makes you wonder what it must have been like when the earth heaved itself up and bent back on itself…

To the west we traveled along the fold.

To the east we traveled along a string of mesas.

Burr Pass was the highlight of our day.  This is a series of steep switchbacks on the side of the fold.  At the top, spectacular views.

Lunch spot.

Cottonwood Trees.

After Burr Pass we entered Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.

Just another day riding on the road less traveled.

Mileage:  68,385

Thousand Lakes RV Park Torrey, Utah

Today didn’t turn out like we thought it might.  Some days are like that.  We took the Jeep for repairs at 9 this morning.  We knew we had at least 3 hours to kill while they fixed the Jeep.  We went to the RV wash and gave big baby a good bath.  Next we filled the RV propane tank.  We went to the grocery store and Walmart to stock up.  We still had time to fill.  I had seen a sign for flu shots and decided that today would be a good day to get that accomplished as well.  The first pharmacy we went to said that our insurance would only cover the flu shot if we went to the doctor at home to get them…NOT POSSIBLE!!  If we paid cash, it was going to cost us $60.00 each.  I’m not really sure that I understand how health insurance works…

The pharmacist apologized and gave us 2 other suggestions.  The health department gives flu shots each day from 3 – 4:30 for $55.00 cash…NOPE! 

Tim knew I wasn’t going to give up.  We are going to visit the grandchildren in December and Tim has had pneumonia a couple of times…we were getting FLU SHOTS!!!  The last option was a small private pharmacy in town.  They give flu shots for $25.00…YES!! They were friendly and wonderful and she did a good stick!  Flu shots done!

The Jeep dealer called…they had unfortunate and disappointing news.  They had the parts but they didn’t have the specific seal press necessary to fix our Jeep…not so good.  We left at 1:30 this afternoon.  I wouldn’t say that we wasted those days in Price.  We certainly got to see some cool things that we otherwise would not have seen.

We drove south and it wasn’t until we were on Route 24 and headed to Capitol Reef that we finally were able to relax.  We were on a new road and we were moving on!  We have an appointment at a larger Jeep dealer in Cedar City on Monday.  They already have the parts and they said that they have the tool to complete the repair. 

In the meantime…we needed to breathe…and ENJOY THE RIDE!

We found a nice full-service campground outside of the national park.  The NP campground and other BLM areas were full.  We went to the visitor center to get our options for seeing this area tomorrow. 

It was 5 pm before we were settled.  We have a beautiful home for the night.

Day 3

Legacy Inn and RV Resort Price, Utah

We were at the Price Jeep dealer at 8 am. There we were met by kind people and excellent customer service. By 9 am, the oil change had been completed. The front axle seal on the driver’s side needed to be replaced and the dealer decided that they would prefer to replace both seals, under warranty! The Jeep also needs new rear brakes. Initially, they asked us to return next Monday for our repairs to be completed, but when they learned that we were traveling, they agreed to get us in tomorrow! They also wanted us to be able to use the Jeep today. So we are to return tomorrow at 9 am.

What a gift!! Now we had the whole day to enjoy! By 9:30 this morning we had our picnic packed and we were on our way to explore Nine Mile Canyon. When we were there earlier this week, we had no idea what riches were hidden on the rock-faces in this beautiful canyon! Today we were in search of petroglyphs and pictographs, ancient artwork spanning the last 8,000 years of human existence. That this artwork has survived is nothing short of miraculous. The rock panels that were chosen by the Native American people needed to be soft enough to carve…that they were also hard enough to last the ages is amazing! Of course, there are many places where more recent generations have vandalized these sites. I suppose that this is part of the story.

Today was a glorious fall day with a chill in the air and a brilliant blue sky. The sunshine was warm as we hiked the short distances to see the art.

There were lots of remnants of ranches and other small cabins.

First Site is one of the few marked sites. I think that this is purposeful. If the sites are unmarked…and as we found out…difficult to find, then they are better protected from graffiti. The artwork at First Site is thought to have been created by both the Fremont Culture and the Ute Indians. Much of the art depicts bighorn sheep, buffalo,and deer. The bighorn sheep and the buffalo no longer live here.

We continued to follow some rather rudimentary directions to find more petroglyphs along the road.

This cowboy must have been a later addition.

This canyon is composed of layers and layers of rock. I had thought of it kind of like a Smith Island Cake…but these layers represent the measure of time…eons really!

This bull was in the road…we waited for him to be ready to cross.

The Great Hunt site is the most recognized of all of the rock art in Utah. Scholars believe that this panel represents a bighorn sheep hunt. Biologists though, believe that this is a picture of the late autumn mating season…because this is the only time of the year that rams, ewes, and lambs are all together and all 3 groups are seen in the carving.

We stopped in Daddy Canyon for our picnic lunch. This place was a neat surprise…a treasure trove of ancient art. We hiked about 1/2 mile around the canyon checking all of the rock-faces for pictures.

I am thinking that his house might be more recent work.

One of the few pictographs we saw. Pictographs were painted art. The paint was made from pigment in plants or rocks and mixed with animal fat or sap.

A lizard.

I know that I took a lot of pictures today…but I just loved it here!

The Balanced Rock of Nine Mile Canyon.

We stopped at the post office and the carwash. We got back to the RV and paid bills and posted the blog…such a productive and wonderful day!

As I was working on the blog this evening and listening to music…the Zac Brown Band song “Just as Free” played…Tim and I have never been this free. The business and children and working took lots of our time and energy. It was what we needed to do when we needed to be doing it…but now it feels like our turn. The boys are good, the grandchildren are happy and thriving, my mom is young and spry, we are healthy, and we are having the time of our lives! Every single day we are thankful for this chance to be free…